Tag Archives: Aganorsa Leaf

by | May 4, 2025 · 9:31 am

Aganorsa Supreme Leaf International Guest Craig Post

As some may know, my mother passed this week at the age of 90, after a very difficult month or so.  I’m very fortunate to have a good support system, including friends who are willing to help me out maintaining consistency here.  I didn’t even have to deputize an honorary Craig, I recruited an actual Craig, Craig Gilpin.  Thank you, Craig, for your help.  Without further ado: 

 

Aganorsa Supreme Leaf International

cigar dimensions: 5 1/4 x 54.

Prices are $174.95 for a box, $94.75 for a 5-pack, and $18.95 for a single.

 

My friend Cigar Craig Vanderslice had gotten in touch with me to do a write-up on a cigar, and at first, I thought what a daunting task! Then I thought to myself, I’m honestly honored to be even thought of to do a task to help him out. He explained that his Mother had passed away and he needed a brief hiatus. I know personally that it is almost overwhelming with all the things you have to get done with arrangements and services, family matters, etc.

 

Well, luckily I had just recently received a 5-pack (Smoke Inn) The Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf, but these happen to be for the international market. These were originally introduced at the InterTabac trade show in Dortmund, Germany back in 2024. I’ve come to grow rather fond of the excellent marketing that Terence Reilly, VP of Sales and Marketing, has been doing for quite some time now. Maybe, I just like to flex? I don’t know, but I do know that I’ve enjoyed greatly some of the past vitolas that I have had from this Supreme Leaf line, which started for me with a blind box purchase of the Supreme Leaf in the 6×54 Toro vitola. This international version is a 5 1/4 x 54 Robusto, which I happened to have purchased from Smoke Inn. I’ve been a fairly active “socialite” in the Facebook Smoke Inn Socialites group, and have not only had a great time with the people from the group, but the owner Abe Dababneh has also become a friend. Many of the people have become my friends, quite a few have become much more than just acquaintances. I’ve branched out from what was my cigar-buying comfort zone, basically from joining the Cigar of the Month club quite a few years back. I’ve gotten to try so many new cigars. Many I’ve never heard of or seen from some of my local cigar places. It ( the COTM) had been a big boost to my journey into the cigar world.

 

Anyway, onto the cigar! The International Supreme Leaf is a fairly limited release of just 2,024 10-count boxes. It’s a medium-strength Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper, with both Nicaraguan binder and filler, so this is a classic Nicaraguan puro. I found the cigar to not be overly spicy at all. It was subtle, very nice. Decent smoke output although I did get a bit of a wonky burn that I did have a few touch ups but I do blame it more on me not letting it acclimate and get to my normal humidity of 68-69%. I don’t often retrohale but I do a few times during a cigar and this wasn’t what I’d call even remotely spicy. I got an almost raisin bread sweetness to it, which made this cigar right in my wheelhouse. (Am I somewhat biased being The Bread man?)

 

I felt that it had a bit more flavorful notes than some of the other vitolas of this line that I’ve had. Maybe it’s more complex for me than the others I’ve had, due to it being a more compact cigar. I don’t know. I have found that I’ve been favoring some of the smaller vitolas for a while now lately. I’ve talked with Cigar Craig about this in the past, and that I’m a tad personally perplexed by the love of some of the ginormous vitolas out there. I feel that some, no most, of the flavors and nuances get sort of lost in the airiness of those big ring cigars. Frankly, I also feel somewhat like it’s smoking a big kielbasa, and just seems a tad awkward. The Supreme Leaf, for me, is a very enjoyable cigar, and I will continue to “flex” it in my rotation and “validate” whenever I can. I’ll probably make a few more purchases to keep trying some of the newer releases in the Aganorsa line, since this has been a winner for me.

 

I thank you, Craig, for letting me do this and temporarily fill those shoes of yours. It was fun but not by any means easy and you make it look so easy!I genuinely send you my heartfelt condolences to all of you in your family during this time. Peace to you my friend, Craig the Bread man.

 

Once again, thank you brother Craig!  I may have to think about offering. him a staff position!  I think he’s qualified!   Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig(s)

 

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by | April 27, 2025 · 8:06 am

Aganorsa Signature, The GOAT and Oz Family Cigars

First off I feel the need to point something out.  I received the press release for this year’s Punch Father’s Day release, Mr. Punch’s Weiners.  I thought the Dad Bod was a terrible concept just about all around, some folks liked it. The band was dumb, packaging them in a can was dumb, overall I thought it sent a bad message: it’s OK to let yourself go.  Not that I’m a fitness freak, I have a dad bod, but I don’t embrace it!  The Dad’s Home Videos was very good, not a problem. I have a problems with the weiner theme, aside form the obvious, it seems to be a little close to the Fratello Vice-Versa, down to saying it can be smoked from either end.  Now, it doesn’t claim to taste different depending on which way one smoked it, but the concept is the same. I know it’s not worth Omar’s time to do anything about it, both are limited editions, and General has deep enough pockets to defend themselves, but it would be a courtesy to look at things in the market and try not to blatantly copy them.  At least they put them in packs of 10.  I think Kevin (who played a big part in the Vice-Versa, by the way) should get on his 3D printer and make some hot dog roll cigar props and sell them in packs of eight!

 

That was a long way to get to the punch line, so let’s talk about some new-to-me cigars.  In a recent visit to The Wooden Indian I picked up an Aganorsa Leaf Signature Selection Maduro Toro.  This is a Nicaraguan Puro, mostly Nicaraguan Corojo with a touch of Nicaraguan Criollo 98 in the filler.  I struggle with the Aganorsa lines, some I like, some not so much and I can’t seem to ever remember which ones fall into which category.  I know I like the La Validation Maduro, that’s for sure. Will I remember the next time I’m faces with a choice?  Who’s to say?  I can say that I’m adding this to the list of Aganorsa cigars I like. It started with a dry cocoa powder kinda thing going on, and got sweeter as it went along. Burn and draw were great and it hit the spot.  $13.50 well spent.

 

Next up from my Wooden Indian foray was an A.J. Fernandez cigar that I’ve heard a lot about, The Goat.  This started life as a store exclusive for Nasser’s Lounge in Pétion-Ville, Haiti.  I’ve never been there.  It’s now in wider distribution, and is pricey for an A.J. Fernandez cigar , around $17.  Also pricey for me, but I was interested and looking for new things.  This has a San Andrés wrapper, Nicaraguan Corojo binder and Nicaraguan fillers.  What’s not to like, right?   Turns out, I liked it a lot.  It was a 6″ x 52 toro, It was heavy, earthy and had some sweet espresso notes.  It was very good, but outside my comfort zone price-wise.  I’m notoriously frugal.

 

Finally I picked up an Oz Family Cigars Firsat, in the F54 size.  This is a 7″ x 54 cigar, with a higher priming Ecuador Connecticut wrapper that I thought was pretty ugly.  Many times ugly wrappers are very tasty.  The binder is a Ecuador Habano with Nicaraguan fillers.  I believe this is made at Casa Carillo in the DR. It’s a big cigar, and I sat down to watch a movie figuring it was going to take a good two hours to smoke.  The flavors were nuts and leather, with a bit of creaminess and built up to a solid medium. This was a light (in weight) cigar, and was done in less than 90 minutes, which was a bit of a disappointment. $14 wasn’t a terrible price, it was a tasty cigar and it might work better in another size, or at least the same for less money.  

 

That’s all I have for today. Don’t forget to check out the Flatbed Cigar Co. Daily Deal, there’s always something good (left sidebar). Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

 

 

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by | June 23, 2024 · 9:47 am

La Union, Cro Magnon, EP Carrillo and JFR Lunatic Cigars

My week started with a really nice Father’s Day with all my kids and grandkids visiting.  My youngest stopped at CigarMojo and asked for a recommendation, and, once again, they sold him a very expensive cigar.  I’m never super happy about him spending his hard earned cash, and part of me feels like the guys at the shop take advantage, but he does make a good point: it’s not something I would buy for myself.  He picked up the new(ish) My Father La Union Black para Tatuaje .This is certainly a cigar that piqued my interest, but there was never any way I was shelling out for it.  I’m a cheap bastard, my sphincter tightens when I look at a cigar over $15. This is a 100% improvement over 12 or so years ago.  So, it being Father’s Day, and having this wonderful gift, I had to smoke it.  The cigar is 7¼” x 50 with a 109 head, the head is slightly tapered and rounded. It has an Ecuador Habano wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers, including Pelo de Oro. I’ve walked through the Pelo de Oro fields, although it’s been 13 years, so probably not the same stuff.  This was blended by the Garcias for Pete Johnson’s palate, I almost expected it to be heavier. It wasn’t.  It had a very delicate, nuanced flavor, started with an interesting mintiness, some woodyness and some spice.  It almost reminded me of a Havana, but loads better.  This was a brilliant cigar, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to try it.  Later I smoked the now 25 year old Esperanza para los Niños, which has held up well!

 

I’d been itching to try the new Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapped variant of the RoMaCraft CroMagnon which came out recently, so I had added a couple of the 4½ x 60 Mandibles on to a recent order.  I haven’t seen these locally, although I haven’t been out shopping much lately. This version uses a Pennsylvania broadleaf wrapper, Sumatra hybrid binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.  The original CroMagnon didn’t have any Dominican leaf in the blend.  I was hoping to try the Cranium (toro) size, but this was what was available.  I thought this was spicier than the original, and it wasn’t for the faint of heart. I thought I got some grilled steak, but that might have been a neighbor cooking.  I’ll be on the look out for other sizes, but this one hit the spot, although I’ll always have a soft spot for the original. 

 

E.P. Carrillo is launching a line called the Essence series, the Sumatra and Maduro should be on shelves, with more wrapper variations on the horizon.  I smoked the Maduro Friday evening on a drive north.  My wife offered to drive the first leg so I could enjoy my cigar. I actually don’t like to smoke while driving my car because it’s a manual and it just isn’t relaxing.  Fortunately, we were in her car.  Ain’t she the greatest?  The E.P. Carirllo Maduro has a San Andrés wrapper, Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. While it’s made in the D.R., note that there is no Dominican leaf.  I couldn’t help but remember my first La Gloria Cubana Maduro back in the ’90s.  This cigar had some spice with espresso and cocoa, it was right up my alley.  Burn and draw were perfect (which is nice in the car) and it smoked for about an hour and a half.  I’m excited to try the Sumatra, and add some more of  the Maduro to my humidor.  

 

Finally, when we got home last night fairly late, I sat down with the newest Firecracker offering from United Cigars.  This year it is the JFR Lunatic Firecracker, Made by Aganorsa Leaf.  I’m hit of miss on the Aganorsa cigars, but the JFR Lunatic is a good one, although I haven’t smoked any of the obscenely large sizes (there’s only a few 60 ring and under).  This has what they are calling a shade grown Corojo maduro wrapper, and I assume Aganorsa Nicaraguan fillers and binder.  It’s 3½” x 50 with the signature “fuse”, which I get rid of right away.  Smoking time was the better part of an hour, which is good for a little guy.  It had that cane sugar sweetness that I like, and was quite tasty, one of the better Firecracker treatments in my mind.  Not that any are bad, this one distinguished itself. Super-tasty and it looks like it might still be available.  Grab some to try if you see them!

 

That’s all for today, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | March 17, 2024 · 10:33 am

Knuckle Sandwich, Julius Caeser, Postanie and Aganorsa Cigars

I smoked a good variety of cigars this week, the next couple weeks will probably be featuring some retailer exclusive cigars, so I figured I’d mix it up.  I had picked up the Knuckle Sandwich 56 Maduro on a recent visit to the Wooden Indian, it was on the high side of what I like to spend, but I wanted to try it.  This cigar is made by Espinosa, at the A.J.Fernandez’ San Lotano factory, for Guy Fieri’s 56th birthday. Obviously, it has a 56 ring gauge, and looks to be made using the San Lotano Oval molds.  I like a 6″ x 56, and I liked the Oval shape.  It has a San Andrés wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers.  Can anyone tell me why the word “Sandwich” sounds like “Sangwich” when persons of Cuban descent say it?  I went through a phase of smoking cigars with the ring gauge of my age for a while, now that I’m 60 I’m over that. I loved this cigar, which is a shame because it’s limited and expensive.  It started with a nice spice over cocoa, and mellowed into a chocolaty treat, with a hint of the spice.  I dug it, even though when I met Guy at the PCA show a few years ago he really could have cared less and my request for Erik Espinosa to get in the picture with us was ignored. I don’t get starstruck and fawn over celebs, some of them don’t like that.  Anyway, I don’t regret the purchase at all, it wa sa really good smoke, probably the best I had all week.  It was my Pi Day treat.

 

We are in the midst of a string of March holidays, so on Friday I was compelled to smoke a Diamond Crown Julius Caeser Toro.  We all know that March 15 marks the day that Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC.  We know the exact date because he invented the calendar we use.  He instituted that just a year before his death.   Anyway, he was a heck of an Emperor, but I guess his friends thought he was a dick, so they stabbed him. I may be oversimplifying things a little. A few millennia later some Hungarian folks named their son after him, and US immigration screwed up the spelling on his paperwork and Julius Caeser Newman started a cigar company that makes some great cigars.  The Diamond Crown Julius Caeser is made at Tabacalera A. Fuente, has an Ecuador Havana wrapper, Dominican binder and Caribbean and Central American fillers. They could just say Dominican, Nicaraguan and/or Honduran fillers, but they can be vague if they want. I enjoy Diamond Crown cigars, from the mild Diamond Crown, to the bolder Maximus and Black Diamond, and this falls in between.  I find the flavor to be largely sweet wood, which is a nice change of pace for me.  I like this cigar a lot, I remember smoking one of these a long time ago with a shop owner who has since passed, before a big celebrity cigar launch dinner.  It didn’t give me any stabbing back pain either.

 

Saturday ended up being a Connecticut Shade day, which isn’t normal for me, but I had a couple shade cigars I hadn’t smoked yet, so I figured I’d give them a go.  The first one I have smoked, but there’s a new size launching at the PCA show that I had a chance to smoke.  It was the Powstanie Connecticut Justice, a 5½ x 46 Corona Gorda which Mike Szczepankiewicz blended nine years ago for the birth of his son.  This is made at the Nica Sueño factory like the rest of the Powstanie cigars.  I really like the Robusto that Mitch shared with me late last year.  This shape seemed different, it didn’t have the character that the larger ring had, although I still found it to be exceptional. This was a really good shade cigar with some body, which I think must come from the PA Broadleaf binder in large part.  For someone who doesn’t gravitate to shade wrapped cigars, this is a really good one, and worth a shot, but I don’t even think it’s due to be released until next month, some additional age won’t hurt this one. If you come across any Postanie cigars, try them, they are all really quite good.

 

Finally, I smoked an Aganorsa La Validacion Connecticut Robusto that I got at the Wooden Indian a few weeks ago when Fabien and Mike King were there doing an event. Aganorsa is a brand I struggle to find a favorite in. There’s a few I like, and some I don’t, and I can’t seem to remember which is what.  So I buy them and smoke them and enjoy them or not and start the cycle over again. I don’t care for Criollo ’99 too much, so that probably has something to do with it.  I think this series is one I like, and I definitely liked this Connecticut. It was medium bodied, nutty with some wood and spice and really a nice cigar.  I’m going to remember that I really like the La Validacion line (I just went back and checked and I did like the Maduro and Corojo!).  

 

Today is Green Cigar Day, or as some call it, St. Patrick’s Day, so pick out a nice Candela and drive the snakes out of your country!  Why have none of these companies made a Candela Culebra in honor of St. Patrick driving the snakes from Ireland?  Because it would suck and it wouldn’t sell, that’s why. I’ll suggest it to Saka. I mentioned him making a Candela Lancero on my last Podcast episode with him and he poopoo’d it, now he’s making a lancero box featuring the candela. I’d write more today but I used a lot of letters on Mike Szczepankiewicz name. Anyway, until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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by | February 11, 2024 · 12:05 pm

La Sirena LS LEs, a Mexican Mermaid and a Wooden Indian 60th Anniversary Cigar

It’s probably quite apparent I have an affinity for the majority of the cigars in the La Sirena portfolio.  I’ve been a fan of the brand for a long time. The La Sirena brand came into existence the same year I started this site, 2009.  Back then it was a owned by Miami Cigar and Co., and the Classic La Sirena brand was made at the My Father factory.  If you ever come across La Sirena cigars that have the Miami Cigar barcode label on the back, snatch them up. Don’t get me wrong, the current iteration are made at La Zona, and might be my favorite cigar from that factory. In the early years they made some limited editions, an A size and a Solomon (the Dubloon), which had Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers instead of he Habano wrapper. This was the inspiration for the La Sirena LS LE Lancero, and the newly released (at the recent TPE show) box pressed 6″ x 60.  I had the great fortune of smoking both this week, something I’ve been looking forward to. First up was the Lancero, a 7½” x 39 version.  These are made at Tabacalera La Isla, which is owned by Hostos Fernández Quesada, nephew of Manolo Qusada, and cousin of Terence Reilly.  La Sirena has worked with the Quesadas before, they make their Oceano brand, not to be overlooked. In an effort to balance out the paragraphs, see the next one for the blend info!  This cigar was excellent, it exceeded expectations. The burn and draw were perfect, assuming it’s smoked slowly like a lancero should be smoked.  It was good for at least 2 hours. There were dark, rich cocoa and coffee with some earth and spice, a total package. These were made in 2022 and are being released at a rate of 1000 per year over four years.

 

The next night I had the La Sirena LS LE Box Pressed Gordo. This is 6″ x 60 but feels smaller due to the press.  I get the idea that Danny Ditkowich is a fan of the 60 rings, as many of his Tobacco Plaza Anniversary cigars have been larger rings.  My guess is that if the Lancero was Arielle’s smoke, this was her father’s.  Gordos don’t bother me at all, although I’m not a fan of anything too much over 60.  The blend, which I said I was going to mention in this paragraph to fill things out, is a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, San Andrés binder and fillers from the DR, Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. This is the same blend as the Lancero, we might imagine the proportions are quite different! The 2024 production of these was 100 boxes of ten, pretty small.  Comparing the two is unfair, but fun as they are the same blend in polar opposite formats.  Where the Lancero was straightforward and focused, the gordo was mellower and more complex.  This could be the proportions or the temperature of the burn or some of both. It’s a great cigar, which compares more with the Mexican Mermaid in my mind than my memories of the Broadleaf La Sirenas of he past.  I do

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have an A and a couple Dubloons around that I could potentially smoke to compare, but age factors in. Better to let these beauties stand on their own as excellent cigars. 

 

Speaking of the La Sirena Mexican Mermaid, I smoked the Robusto yesterday, a size I hadn’t previously smoked for some reason.  I’ve smoke a bunch of the toro and the 4″ x 50s, and what they call a lancero but is more of a lonsdale.  To recap, the Mexican Mermaid is made at La Isla, has a Mexican wrapper and binder and fillers from Mexico and the Dominican Republic.  Sounds like a lot of Mexican tobacco, right?  So I started out on Te Amo Maduros back in the mid-90s, so I have a high threshold for what’s now called San Andrés tobacco.  I found the 5″ x 50 Robusto to pack a punch, it was earthy with a lot of strong, black coffee notes. I love this blend, besides the classic La Sirena, it’s one of my favorite cigars.  

 

Friday I posted about the Wooden Indian‘s 60th anniversary Aganorsa Leaf Supreme Leaf. There isn’t much more I can say about the Wooden Indian again, great humidor, great lounge, great staff. I’m a year older than the store. Now, the store hasn’t been under the same ownership for all those years, I want to say that Dave Mayer has owned it for close to 20 years.  They have grown a lot in the 14 or

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so years since I first stopped in the store, and have a very good e-commerce business. I heard about this a few weeks ago when I spent an evening at the lounge with Fabien Zeigler and Mike King, and was excited to give the cigar a try. This is a Supreme Leaf in a box pressed 5″ x 56, an Aganorsa puro with a Corojo 99 wrapper.  There’s some tie in with Privada, and Wooden Indian sells a lot of their stuff, but I don’t hold that against them. The brand originally came out at the 202 TPE show.  The cigar was pretty darned good, on the w

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oody end of my spectrum, burn and draw were excellent. I like some Aganorsa Leaf cigar more than others, and this was a good one.  Hit up the folks at WI and five this a shot if you’re a Supreme Leaf fan!

 

That’s all for today. I have to go swear at some house projects after lunch and then have some cigars.  I guess there’s some sort of sporting/popular culture event going on today, if you’re into that, enjoy!  Until the next time, 

 

CigarCraig

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